Harvey Weinstein Says Jake Gyllenhaal Will Get Oscar Nod For 'Southpaw,' Will Be "Revenge" For 'Nightcrawler' Snub

Harvey Weinsteinknows how to sell the sizzle and the steak. As per usual, the producer was at the Cannes Film Festival this year where made his annual presentation of The Weinstein Company slate. And while Quentin Tarantino‘s “The Hateful Eight” got the most attention, Harvey was also pitching the upcoming boxing flick “Southpaw” pretty hard. The honcho said Cannes had actually offered a slot for the movie in the lineup, but he turned it down since the film’s star, Jake Gyllenhaal, was serving on the jury. And while a promised secret screening for press didn’t pan out either, Harvey did make some big promises.

According to the producer, Jake Gyllenhaal will get an Oscar nomination for the pugilist picture this year, to make up for his “Nightcrawler” snub last year. “We’ll get revenge. This transformation in ‘Southpaw’ is amazing,” he told journalists and press at the Weinstein presentation. And even Cannes’ honcho Thierry Fremaux threw out some praise and a celebrity filled screening on a yacht (obviously).

“…this film is so strong and credible. We believe Jake is a boxer first,” he said adding that the actor’s performance is “one of his best.”

All that said, it’s a very long road from the film’s July 24th release date to the Oscars, but if anyone can make it happen for Jake Gyllenhaal, it’s Harvey Weinstein. But could he be already putting expectations on the movie and the actor’s work in the movie way too high? Let us know below. [Variety]